Vryburg — Two municipal electricians were injured on Tuesday, 7 October 2025, while working on the Vlakfontein power line in Naledi Local Municipality. Both workers are in hospital in a stable condition, according to a statement issued by Democratic Alliance (DA) councillor Benco van Huyssteen.

The DA has called for a formal investigation into the circumstances of the electrocution and whether all safety procedures were followed. In a question paper addressed to the Office of the Speaker on 9 October, van Huyssteen invoked Rule 37.1 of the Council’s Standing Rules to request a written report on:

• the causes of the incident and immediate actions taken;

• compliance with required safety protocols and control-earth measures;

• any independent or internal disciplinary processes initiated; and

• steps implemented to protect municipal employees working on electrical infrastructure.

The submission further asks about “consequence management,” support for the injured employees and their families, and the capacity of the municipal electrical department—covering staffing, tools, equipment, and maintenance plans.

Linking the incident to broader service-delivery pressures, the DA argues that Naledi is operating on an unfunded 2025/26 budget, which it says constrains the electrical unit’s ability to procure safety gear, tools and spares. The party contends that repeated warnings about the risks of underfunding were ignored by the ANC-led council. These remain allegations; as they  have not yet been tested by the proposed investigation.

What’s next: The DA has requested that findings and timelines be tabled before Council, including any accountability measures and plans to strengthen the electrical network. Residents experiencing outages can monitor official municipal channels for restoration updates.

This is a developing story. If you witnessed the Vlakfontein incident, contact our newsroom.

-The VIP Team 

-DA Naledi

-DA NW

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